(Taipei) In a unique and unconventional act, Taiwanese actor and singer Benji Wang, known for his role in the popular idol drama K.O. 3an Guo, recently made waves when he consumed his wife’s placenta. The 40-year-old artist, whose real name is Benjamin Wang and has Taiwanese-American heritage, celebrated the arrival of his first child, a daughter, with his wife Cindy Chen on Sunday, May 14.
Benji took to Instagram on Monday to share a video of himself preparing a special dish featuring stir-fried placenta with vegetables for his wife. In the accompanying Mandarin caption, he explained, “The process of giving birth is tough on mothers. I’ve heard that consuming the placenta is an effective way to replenish and nourish the body.”
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The video showcased Benji’s culinary preparations, which involved boiling the placenta in hot water twice. He meticulously sliced red and yellow bell peppers, an onion, and ginger, before sautéing all the ingredients in avocado oil and seasoning them with salt and pepper.
While the practice of consuming one’s placenta after childbirth is believed by some to have potential benefits such as increased energy levels, important nutrient intake (such as iron), reduced postpartum bleeding, improved breast milk supply, and hormone regulation, it is important to note that these claims have yet to be scientifically proven, according to medical sources like WebMD and Mayo Clinic.
Towards the end of the video, Benji sat down with Cindy to taste the dish they had prepared together. After taking a bite of the placenta, he remarked in Mandarin, “I think it tastes somewhat similar to pig’s liver.” He then fed a piece to Cindy, who had initially anticipated a “fishy” flavor but was pleasantly surprised by the taste.
Benji Wang’s decision to consume his wife’s placenta has sparked conversations and drawn attention to this controversial practice. While it remains a subject of debate and personal choice, this act highlights the diverse ways individuals approach postpartum health and well-being.
